Rotary sewer cleaning machine



July 25 1939 i G. J. sNGr-:Rf I 2,167,268

I Boum sEwEN CLEANING MACHINE Filed oct. 24, 1936 '2 sheets-sheet 1l July 25, 1939.

G. J. sANGER Noun sEwEn CLEANING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 yeorgerfa paul@ nger PW@ I PatentedV 1939 UNITED STATES A'PAT-ENT oFF-lcs A *JWN ao'raar SEWER CLEANING mom George J. Sanger, Park Ridge, lll. I Application october 24, 193s, semi No. 101,456 9 claims. (o1. -15-10430) I The invention relates to a rotary sewer cleaning machine.

Machines of this type embody a power driven flexible cable or shaft the lead end of which carries a cutter head that is fed into a sewer pipe or other conduit having a stoppage of some kind which it is necessary to cut away to make the pipe or conduit function. The cable or shaft usually is in the form of spring coils in close disposition to form a continuous flexible shaft. The diameter of such shaft is of the proper size in relation to a given size of pipe to be .resistance of the cutter head meeting an obstruction, torque develops in the shaft to help rotate the cutter head. Under such conditions the size of the pipe in relation vto the size of the flexible head is such the pipe serves to prevent kink- -ing or buckling of the shaft within the pipe. If such exible spring coil shaft, under thetorque developed is permitted to kink or buckle the shaft becomes irreparably damaged and since such shafts are relatively expensive a situation may develop because of such kinking that is highly objectionable. Operators of these machines, therefore, are most careful to use the proper diameter of shaft for a given size of pipe. A However, in practice, since such shafts necessarily are of lengths up to and exceeding a hundred feet it has beenv proposed to provide a reel or drum to coil said shaft therein for storage purposes to make for space economy as well as to make more easy the handling of the shaft. Where such drums .are used, the practice is for the operator to feed the shaft manually from the drum or back to it, while the shaft is power rotated. v y

Where' such storagedrums `are used it frequently happens vas torque is built up in the shaft that the shaft, Where it is entering or leaving the drum, can no longer hold the built up torque with the result that the shaft buckles or kinks because at the said zone of emergence or entry to the drum there is no surronding surface, such vas the' sewer pipe -to control the shaft. It is a y common occurrence under such circumstances then and at the point mentioned for the shaft to buckle andbecome irreparably damaged. Especially is this so where the drum serves as the means for rotating the flexible shaft.

It is desirable, therefore. in machines of this kind, where the drum turns the flexible shaft,-

that some control means be associated lwith the drum in such a manner that asthe drum builds up torque in the shaft against a restrained cutcleaned, so that as the flexible shaft is rotated against the ter head it will under all conditions of operation be impossible for the cable or shaft to jump over itself and 'develop the objectionable kink or buckle heretofore mentioned. v 4 Y The main object of this invention is to provide I. a driving drum for the iiexible shaft including means positively to prevent kinking of the shaft in the drum.

Another object is to provide a drum for driving a sewer cleaning shaft,lsaidldrum including control means to prevent kinklng or buckling of the shaft within the drum.

Another object is to provide such control` A means which will be simple and effective to accomplish its intended purpose without affecting l5 the ability of the operator readily to withdraw or reinsert the shaft out of or into the drum while it is stationary, or while it is turning to drive thevshaft.

- Other important objects will become apparent to those skilled in this art as the disclosure is more fully made.

In a preferred, practicable example of the invention to be shown herein for purposeof illustration, the objects may be accomplished in providing a. suitable support carrying a motor and driving a shaft which carries and drivesa circular drum wherein is coiled the flexible sewer cleaning shaft. Since the coils are resilient they press outwardly or expand against the periphery of the drum. It follows that when the drum is turned byY the motor the coils of the shaft turn with the drum. The free end of the shaft is passed through a hollow shaft concentric with the turning axis of the drum, said free end of the shaft carrying a cutter head. This free end as the drum turns, may be fed by hand into a pipe to be cleaned. Inside the drum isa concentrically disposed conical or beehive shaped member to guide the shaft from and to the drum, and to provide an annular storage space within the periphery -of the drum for laying the /turns or coils of the shaft when stored in th'e drum. Combined with the conical shaped member is a control ring member, formed as part of the drum, or appropriately attached thereto in such a position in relation to the conical member that a control or guide space is provided for the inward or outward passage of the shaft relative to the driving drum. Suchv structure prevents the shaft from kinking within .the drum under any circumstances of operation.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings:

Figure 1 is'a general perspective view of theimproved rotary sewer cleaning machine;

VFigure 2 is a vertical, central sectional View through the machine;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, detail cross sectional View through the machine, taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through the driving and storage drum, taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and,

Figure 5 is a similar cross sectional view through the drum taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 2, but looking in the opposite direction as indicated by the arrows.

The improved rotary sewer cleaning machine may include asuitable support, such as a stand lil, providing spaced brackets -II and a shelf I2 upon which is mounted an electric motor i3 having-a gear reducer lli for driving a horizontal shaft I5 at relatively slow speed. Each bracket II carries a journal bearing I6 locked in place by a hinged clamp fixture I 'l as shown in Figure 3.

The machine includes an improved flexible shaft driving and storage member inthe form of a circular drum Ill having tapered sides Iii merging as a. cone to form at its apex, a throat portion Z in which is fixed a hollow shaft 2| carried in a journal bearing I5, as shown in Figure 2. Further, said drum at its base end includes a base end plate 22 which is rigid with a coaxial shaft part 23 journaled removably in the other bearing I6, as shown. By means of a quickly detachable and attachable clutch coupler 2i the shafts 23 and I5 may be drivingly connected to rotate the cone shaped drum I8.

The inside surface of the base 22 has formed therewith, or carries as an attachment, a beehive shaped insert also conically shaped, or tapered, and located concentrically and coaxially inside the drum I8 in spaced relationship, as shown, thereby providing a substantially annular space 26, due to the curvature of the plate 22, between the insert 25 and periphery of the drum I8 for the storage of a coiled, flexible sewer cleaning shaft 2l, which at its free end beyond the throat 20 carries a rotary cutting tool 28 of any standard form. The inner conical member 25 is truncated o-r cut off flush as shown, at its free end, to be spaced a substantial distance from the throat 20, so` that insertion of the shaft or its withdrawal relative to the drum will not be irnpcded. and so that the outer surface of the inner cone member 25 may serve to guide the shaft into and from the annular space 2B.

The shaft 21 is formed of spring stock helically wound to form the shaft. Consequently, due to this inherent springiness, when the shaft is coiled or looped within the drum I8 for storage, these coils press radially outwardly against the inner periphery of the drum. It follows when the drum is turned from themotor and shaft 23 that the drum and coiled shaft turn together and as a result the shaft turns at drum speed as it is fed manually out of the drum through the hollow shaft 2| to feed the cutter head 28 into a 'clogged sewer pipe, or the like. Sometimes the head is restrained by the pipe stoppage, causing great torque to develop in the shaft. Such torque, within the pipe, is controlled by the pipe preventing it inside thepipe from getting out of control and kinking or buckling the shaft.

In the drum I8, however, control of the torque in the past, was not present and consequently it aravaca frequently happened that the torque developed in the restrained shaft caused the shaft in the drum to jump .over itself and buckle or kink, thereby ruining the shaft and causing its destruction so that it had to be'replaced. The present invention makes such kinking of the shaft inside the drum impossible, by providing means to control the shaft torque Within the drum.

Accordingly, in the present illustrative example, an annularly spaced series of brackets 2@ is carried on the inner face of the tapered portion of the outer drum I8, said brackets extending toward the beehive insert 25, as shown. The

free ends of these brackets 29 carry a ring 35' positioned in a plane passing through the beehive insert 25 substantially Where its cylindrical and tapered portions meet as shown in Figure 2. It follows, thus, that between the ring 30 and meniber -25 is formed an annular guide or control space slightly greater than the diameter of the shafty 2l to be passed therethrough. Consequently, should high torque be developed in the restrained shaft the control space between the ring 30 and member 25 acts to control or hold the shaft while it passes into the storage space 26 so that kinking thereof will be positively prevented inside the drum. The control space provided in nowise interferes with the free infeed or outfeed of the shaft relative to the drum. This is so Whether the drum be rotating or standing' still.

In' practice the drum, as a casting, could be shaped to form the desired control space thereby eliminating the ring 30 and beehive 25 as a separate piece. The motor I3 may be of the reversible type to drive the drum and shaft in either direction, as desired. The drum with the insert and coiled, stored, flexible shaft, and the mounting shaft ends on which the drum turns, turns as a unit. By means of the two opposite journal bearings and journal clamp brackets this whole unit n iay be quickly removed from the supporting stand, or replaced, as desired.

It can now be seen that an improved rotary sewer cleaning machine has been provided which achieves all of the desirable objects heretofore recited.

It is the intention to ,cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein selected for purposes of the disclosure, which do not in material respects constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as covered by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a power driven rotary sewer cleaning machine including a support carrying a substantially conically shaped drum turnable about an axis normal to its base on the support and having an end wall at its base and a throat portion at its apex, and motor means on the support to rotate the drum, said base carrying a substantially conically shaped inner member concentrically within the drum to provide a substantially annular space between it and the periphery of the drum for storing a. coiled flexible shaft in said space with an end thereof passed through said throat, rotation of the drum causing rotation of the shaft, the combination with vsaid drum of concentric means located .within and inwardly spaced from the walls of said drum in addition to the inner member and at the entrance -to said storage space between the drum and inner member providing an annular control space only slightly wider than the thickness of the shaft positively to control the shaft 555150 be fed from which In,` rotary SewerV thereby prevent kinking out of the when under torque and of the shaft as it is passed into or storage space while being driven.

` 2. In a rotary sewer cleaning machine includ- 5 ing a support carrying a drum turnable on the support having al base and tapering sides merging at the'turning axis of the drum to form a throat, a tapered member carried-by the base inside the drum and forming with the drum periph- 1'0 ery an annular storage space for a flexible shaft vadapted to be coiled in said space and fed through said throat, and power means on the support including driving connections to turn the drum structure as a unit to impart rotation to the shaft, the combination with said ldrum of concentric means located in and inwardly spaced from the walls of the drum at the entrance to said storage space between the drum and tapered memberl providing an annular control space only slightly widenthan the thickness of the, shaft positively to control the shaft when under torque and thereby prevent kinking of theshaft as it is passed into or out of the'storage space while being-driven.

3. In a rotary sewer cleaning machine including a support carrying a circular drum including a conical extension turnable on the support about an axis normal to the base of the extension, said drum at the apex of the extension having a throat carrying a hollow shaft removably jour- -naled on the support, said drum including a base end carrying a shaft coaxial with the hollow shaft and also removably journaled on the support, and

a motor on the support including drive connec= 4 tions with-the shaft of the base end, said` drum.

including an inner member to provide with the periphery of the drum an annular storage space and entrance for a flexible shaft the end of which is movable vthrough said hollow shaft,` said motor 40 and drive connections serving to turn the drum as a unit to impart rotation to the flexible shaft,

the combination with said drum of annular means associated with the drum at the entrance to said storage space and interposed betweenV the inner member and drum providing an annular control space only slightly wider than theV thick- Yness of the shaft to control the shaft when under torque and thereby prevent kinking thereof as it is passed into or out of the storage space while being driven.

4. In a rotary sewer cleaning machine including a horizontally disposed rotary storage drum carried at one en'd on a support, said drum storing and serving to turn a flexibleshaft adapted the drum into a pipe, means includinga motor to drive the drum, said shaft having a cutter head, a support carrying the opposite end of the drum, the drum interior being free of any supporting means,

centric insert carried solely by one end of the drum inside the same and providing with the drum periphery an annulan storage space for the shaft coiled therei the combination .with said drum of means disposed concentrically in the 66 drum between the insert and ldrum providing an annular vcontrol space cnlyslightly wider than the thickness of the shaft and through which l space-the -s haft'passes in entering and leaving the drum to prevent kinking of the shaft by con- 70 trolling the shaft to hold the torque thereof 'developed when the cutter head is restrained.

cleaning .machine includmotor, an annular storage and inner concentric mem-j suPPOrt, and means to ing a support. a driving drum including an 75, ber and iournaled on the an enlarged conincludedin the structure between the motor, said drum storshaft between it and the drive the drum from ing a coiled flexible inner member which be passed into the drum Vwhile being driven by the drum, the combination with said drum of annular means disposed within and turnable therewith and providing a restricted annular passage for the shaft to pass through in entering and leaving the drum, said means being concentric and projected outwardly of the surface of the inner member between it and the drum, said means serving to hold the shaft inside the drum against'kinking of same when under torque as it leaves or moves into the drum.

6. In a rotary sewer cleaning machine, a rotatable annular lstorage drum for a fiexible shaft, said drum having an insert therein spaced from the peripheryof the fdrum to provide an annular storage space for the shaft, and-a ring in the space between said drum and insert to provide a control passage for the shaft as it is passed into and from the drum and to prevent kinking of the shaft.

'1. In a sewer cleaning machine having an annular driven conical drum providing an annular storage space of substantially circular cross section in which a coiled exible shaft is adapted to be stored, said drum including an axially disposed guide at its apex through which the shaft may be axially passed from and int the said storage space, the combination with said drum of opposed annular members concentrically included in and inwardlyspaced from the walls of the drum and pro'viding'continuous abutment surfaces forming a narrow annular entrance for the storage space of a size slightly greater than the diameter of the shaft, whereby said entrance Ais operative to control the shaft when under torque and restrain the same; against kinking as the same is rotated by the drum and while being passed out of or into lthe storage space in said drum.

8.'In a sewer cleaning machine including a support carrying journal bearings on a substanmuy horizontal axis for mounting a rottabio storage drum having an annular storage space for a coiled flexiblesewer cleaning shaft, and a motor carried on the support including a coupling for driving the drum, said shaft being passable out of and into av sewer from the drum through one of said ojournal bearings, the combination same inside `the drum.

shaft may be let out of or 9. A power driven storage and `driving drum.

- for the flexible shaft of a sewer cleaning machine, said drum comprising a substantially cylindrical vdrum having a conical projection and-.a concentric cylindrical insert providingbetween said cylindrical portionsan annular storage space for receiving fthe coils having a conical projection within lthe aforemenf the Shaft, said insert tioned conical proiectiontoprovide a shaft 'Y throat restricting means the drum and insert to narrow the said entrance throat toa width slightly larger than the diameter ofthe shaft along a plane passed substantially through -the points where the cylindrical portions join the conical projections.

entrance throat, and a esoneri. sagoma n' 

